Mineral concentrator



March 10, 1942. A. A. JOHNSTON 2,276,044

l MINERAL coNcENTRAToR Filed July 10, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNE YS.

March 10, 1942. A. A. JOHNSTON MINERAL CONCENTRATOR Filed July l0, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

March 10, `1942. A. A. JoHNs'roN MINERAL CONCENTRATOR Filed July 10, 1959 3 Sheets-Shea?I 3 N .uv

AA.JOULSOFI/ INVENTOR.

BY v

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES .PATENT IOFll'fflCE w MINERAL CONCENTRTOR Arthur .Alvah Johnston, Spokane, Wash.

Application-July 10, 1939, `Serial No. 283,701

3 Claims.

The device lwhich forms the subject-matter of this application, embodies a novel means for classifying and separating material, for example, crushed ore, novel means being supplied for segregating the heavier portions of lthe ore from the lighter portions thereof, and novel means being provided for imparting movement to a frame, carrying a classifier and concentrators, in such a way that a proper separation between the heavier and lighter portions of the material will be consummated, novel means being supplied Vfor rotating the frame and associated parts to produce, in the ccncentrators, places of restricted area where the heavier portions of fthe material will settle.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which .will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in -the combination `and varrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter .described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing `from rthe spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in side elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on 'the line 2 2 of Fig. l. the lower bearing being in a Vertical position;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line y3--3 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 and 5 are plans showing parts carried by the movable frame;

Fig. 6 is a plan showing another of the parts carried by the movable frame;

Fig. 7 is a perspective of the frame;

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan showing the crank arm and attendant parts.

In the drawings there is shown a support I, which may be constructed as desired. n the bottom of the support I is mounted a guide 2 wherein a slide 3 is mounted for right-line adjustment, the slide carrying a bearing socket 4. The numeral marks a head secured to the top of the support l, and inthe head, a .vertical driven shaft 6 is supported for rotation by any appropriate means, such as a drive shaft 1 `journaled in the head and operatedby a lcrank or otherwise, the shafts vi3' and "I 'being .operatively connected b y`bevel gears 8. A crank arm 9 is se- .cured `to the lower end of the shaft 6 and is provided, near its end, with anopening I0.

The ynumeral II marks a frame, mounted for rotation and for rocking movement on the support I, the frame including a'loop-shaped body "the'body 12 ofthe frame H.

to the bottom, centrally thereof.

I2, provided at its upperend with a stub shaft I4, received 'in the opening I'0 of the crank yarm 9 on the shaft 6. At its lower end, the body lI2 of the frame vIjI v'is supplied with a spindle I5, receivedin the 'bearing 4 on the adjustable slide 3.

A horizontal U-shaped nbrace I6 has its ends secured tothe body i the frameII. An outstanding angle bracket I1 is secured tothe intermediate portion of the brace I6 and to the intermediate portion 4of the bottom of the body I2 of 'the Vframe II. There are vertically spaced openings I8 in the Vertical arm of the bracket I'I. At its upper end, the vertical arm of the 'bracket IIis provided with an opening'Z. There are vertically spaced seats I'9 in the side arms of The inner end of a lateral arm 2| is secured to the intermediate portion of the top member Aof the body 4I2 Yof the frame Ii, and isprovidedynear its outer end, with an opening 22.

,One vend of Ya link 23 is pivotally mounted in the opening 420 of 'the frame bracket I'I, the opposite end of 'the link being pivotally mounted in one 4end of la cross arm 24, secured to the support I. The Aupper-end of afpull-spring 25 1is connected to the link 23, 4near the lcross arm '24, land the lower end vvof the spring is connected to the sup' the a-rm A2I on the frame I I and in a corresponding opening 21 in the-cross piece 24.

The numeral 28 designates an upper classien in the form of apan, and having an outlet spout 29 at its periphery. The bottom of the upper classifier 28 is perforated as shown at 30. The numeral 3| marks .a lower classifier, having an outlet spout 32. The bottom of the lower classifier 31| -is'provided with perforations 33. An upwardly conveXed baiile 54 is located below the bottom of the lower classifier 3| and is secured The numeral 34 marks a perforated depression in the bottom of the lower classiier 3 I.

At 35 there appears an upper concentrator which is a. pan-like form. The upper concentrator .35 has a depression 36 in its bottom, and across the depression extends a screen 38. A drain pipe 39 is connected to the central portion oif .the depressed part 36. The 'bottom of the upper concentrator 35 is imperforate, saving for a central opening 40, surrounded by an upstanding sleeve 4| having an outstanding flange 42.

A lower concentrator 43 is provided, and is of pan-like form and has a depression 44. The bottom of the lower concentrator 43 is imperiorate. On the bottom of the lower concentrator 43 there is an upstanding sleeve 45 located below the baiiie 49 and provided with an inwardly extended and downwardly inclined annular fiange 45 having a central opening. A drain pipe 41 is formed in the bottom of the lower concentrator 43 and communicates with the sleeve 45. A central standard 48 is secured to the bottom of the lower concentrator 43, and carries a circular, upwardly convexed baille 49 located above the sleeve 45.

The upper classiiier 28, the lower classifier 3|, and the upper concentrator 35 are provided on their bottoms with iixed rods 5U, the ends oi which project beyond the peripheries of the parts mentioned. The upper classifier 28, the lower classifier 3|, and the upper concentrator 35 are supplied with projections 5 I disposed at right angles to the rods 50. The ends of the rods 50 are received detachably in the seats I9 of the side arms of the body I2 of the frame II. The projections 5| are received in the openings I8 in the vertical part of the bracket I1.

The lower concentrator 43 is supported from the lower part of the body |2 of the frame II, and has a peripheral U-shaped holder 52, adapted to straddle the vertical arm of the bracket I1,

below a transverse keeper 53 on the vertical part of the bracket I1.

In practical operation, rotation is imparted to the driven shaft 6 by means of the drive shaft 1 and its crank, or an equivalent, and through thel instrumentality of the intermeshing beveled gears A.

8. When the shaft 6 is rotated, the crank arm 9 causes the stub shaft I4 of the frame I I to move in an orbit, the center of which is the lower bearing 4 of Fig. 2. That bearing, however, may

be adjusted inwardly or outwardly from the neue. tral position shown in Fig. 2, through the instrumentality of the slide 3. The link 23 and associated part prevent the frame II from rotating about an axis represented by the stub shaft I4 and the finger I5 of Fig. '1, but, as hereinbefore stated, the stub shaft I4 moves in an orbit, and the position of the bearing 4, which receives the spindle I5 of the frame I2, may be adjusted in or out as desired.

Large, heavy portions collect and remain in the classifier 28, and the tailings discharge. small portions and water pass through the perforations and are received by the classifier 3|, which functions in a manner similar to the classiiier 38, but with a spot assembly. The small portions and water pass to the concentrator 35, where spot assembly retains the heavier portions, water and slimes being discharged through the sleeve or outlet 4I, to be received, by the concentrator 43, which operates in a similar manner. i

It has been found, however, that in the operation of the device, places exist where the heavier portions of the ore are brought together, those places being the depression 34 of the lower classifier 3| and the depression` 35 of the upper concentractor 35.

The upwardly convexed baiile 54 on the bottom of the lower classifier 3| prevents the water from the flowing into the sleeve 4I oi the upper concentrator 35. The water and ore pass into the upper concentrator 35, the heavier portions collecting in the depression 36, the concentrate being drained from that depression by the pipe 39.

The balile 49 prevents the water from entering the sleeve 45 of the lower concentrator 43, the material being received in the lower concentrator, and the heavier portions of the material collecting in the depression 44. Although, in its downward flow, the water from the upper concentrator 35 is not received directly in the sleeve 45 of the lower concentrator 43, when motion is imparted to the frame I| and associated parts the water and slimes gradually will find their way into the sleeve 45, over the flange 4B, and leave by thev pipe 41.

Especial attention is directed to the fact that the heavier portions of the ore tend to collect in the neutral points represented by the various depressions, such as the depressions 34, 35 and 44, a gradual dispersing of the tailings taking place through the spouts, such as the spouts 29 and 32.

Especial attention is directed to the compound movement imparted to the frame and parts carried thereby. The stub shaft I4 has orbital movement about an axis represented by the lower bearing 4, the position of that axis can be changed by shifting the slide 3 in or out, and rotation of the frame is prevented by the pivoted link 23.

The device is simple in construction, but will be found thoroughly advantageous for the ends in view.

What is claimed is:

l. In a device of the class described, a support, a frame, a mineral-receiving mechanism carried by the frame and embodying upper and lower pan-like members, each of said members having a collecting depression offset with respect to said axis, the bottom of the upper of said members having central outlet'means discharging into the lower of said members, a bearing wherewith the lower end of the frame is engaged: means on the support for moving the upper end of the frame orbitally about an axis determined by the position of the bearing, and means for restraining the frame against rotation, all of said means cooperating to produce spot-assembly in the heavier portions of the mineral in said mechanism.

2. In a device of the class described, a support, a frame, mineral-receiving mechanism carried by the frame and comprising upper, lower and intermediate pan-like members, the upper of said members having a lateral discharge for tailings, each of said members having a collecting depression offset with respect to said axis, the upper member being perforated for discharge into the intermediate member, the intermediate member having a central upstanding sleeve leading to the lower member, the lower member having a central upstanding discharge sleeve, a baffle secured above each sleeve, a bearing wherewith the lower end of the frame is engaged: means on the support for moving the upper end of the frame orbitally about an axis determined by the position of the bearing, and means for restraining the frame against rotation.

3. In a device of the class described, a support, a frame, mineral-receiving mechanism carried by the frame and comprising upper, lower and intermediate pan-like members, each of said members having a collecting depression offset with respect to said axis, the upper member being perforated for discharge into the intermediate membearing, means on the support for shifting the bearing, thereby to change the position of said axis at the will of an operator, and means for restraining the frame against rotation, al1 of said means cooperating to produce spot assembly in the heavier portions of the mineral in said mechanism.

ARTHUR ALVAH JOHNSTON. 

